^^^^^^^^
^^^^ ^^^^
^^ ^^
^ ^
^ ^
^ the glass factory. ^
^ ^
^ ^
^^ ^^
^^^^ ^^^^
^^^^^^^^
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ several centuries after it had last ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ belonged to us, we went on an outing to ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ the glass factory that bore our family ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ name. it had changed owners many times ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ since our ancestors death, and then ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ stood abandoned for a long while. ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ finally, the natural end station for ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ the buildings that survive: a museum, ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ and a gift shop. ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ there's a long time since my family ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ made anything. by many, we would be ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ considered poor. ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ there are two main factory buildings, ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ domed things of several floors, made in ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ yellow brick. large but narrow windows, ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ reminescent of some cathedral. ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ custom-made glass, of course, large and ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ leaded, and ashen. a bit too dark to be ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ practical. on the eastern building, ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ some are shattered. ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ the other one is publicly open. there's ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ a museum, with wax figures of my great ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ great great grandfather, or something. ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ various tools (or replicas) laid out on ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ tables, with explaining texts. a lot of ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ glass of varying thickness. ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ ^^ ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ i quickly sneak out, and climb into the ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ other building. the contrast is ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ overwhelming. it must have stood ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ derelict for a long time, windows ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ broken, metallic trash and pools of ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ dark glass all over the floor. no ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ electric lights, but i can see by the ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ light that shines in wherever the dark ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ windows are missing a pane. ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ however, the greatest difference is the ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ higher floors: this building has none. ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ it is one massive hall, stretching away ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ infinitely above me. somewhere up there ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ is some great iron latticework, from ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ where chains are suspended, and parts ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ of machinery has been falling down. ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ there is, in the middle of the great ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ hall, a thin spiral staircase that ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ leads up there. i sneak over there, and ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ take a few reluctant steps. after just ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ a revolution, i notice that for each ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ step the building starts to glow, the ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ bricks turning a dark red, and then ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ orange, all the piled up debree being ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ lit from behind. ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ i stop ready to run down and out, but ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ there's someone else on the staircase ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ with me now, pressed close. he's ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ looking like me, short hair and thin ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ arms, but with ears from some animal, ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ and more disturbingly, completely made ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ of dark liquid glass. ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ ^^ ^^ ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ ^^ ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ my fear holds me in place while he ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ starts operating levers and dials set ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ in the center of the staircase. slowly, ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ it starts spinning, circling upwards. ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ it's an elevator! i start to run ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ downwards, but now the liquid boy ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ creature grabs hold of me. i try to ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ shake him off, but he's too strong, and ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ pulls me back up beside him. ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ this time, i turn angry instead. what ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ the hell? who is this guy, acting like ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ this? i reach out my free arm and slam ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ a random lever. some metal bar is ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ suddenly released between us, hitting ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ him on the arm, forcing my release. i ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ shove him off of me, and he falls into ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ the levers, messing them up. ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ immediately, a thin rusty chainmail ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ curtain is dropped around me. but the ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ elevator also speeds up significantly. ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ the walls are flaring now, yellow, ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ white, almost blue. i close my eyes and ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ curl into a ball. but then, the glass ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ boy screams, a piercing sound that ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ forces my eyes back open. i watch as he ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ becomes too liquid, his body pooling ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ down in his now massive tail, and the ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ tip of it suddenly breaks of in a glass ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ drop that falls toward the factory ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ floor. ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ he's crawling on the stairs, unable to ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ keep his body upright. can't reach the ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ levers, claws at my chainmail cage, ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ while his body is turning into dark ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ pearls. finally, he's lost too much of ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ himself and the scream is cut short. ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ the last of him rains down. ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ i still can't reach the levers from ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ within my cage. looking up, i try to ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ make out the ceiling, but it's all a ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ whirling sea of colours. below me glows ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ the hellfire of the factory walls, but ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ very faint. i sit down, curl back up, ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ become still. ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ ^^ ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ »»»»»»» ^ ^ »»»»»»» ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ ^^ ^^ ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ ^^ ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ a large clunk shakes my entire body, ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ and snaps me back into reality. i'm ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ back at the factory floor, but the ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ stairs are still moving slightly, ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ clicking in place, carrying me the last ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ few centimeters. i came from below, ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ somehow. the chainmail is retracted, ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ and i slowly dismount the stairs. ¨¨-»\^$###
##$^\»-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-»\^$##
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ shaking and crying, i make my way over ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
$^\»-¨¨¨¨¨ the factory floor, wading through dark ¨¨¨¨¨-»\^$
#$^\»-¨¨¨¨ glass marbles. a quick glance down, and ¨¨¨¨-»\^$#
##$^\»-¨¨¨ i see there's something faint inside ¨¨¨-»\^$##
###$^\»-¨¨ them. embryos? are these eggs? ¨¨-»\^$###
####$^\»-¨ ¨-»\^$####
###$^\»-¨¨ i shudder, and climb back out. ¨¨-»\^$###
^^
^^ ^^
^ ^
^^ ^^
^^